Mason&#39;s level



July 14, 1953 J. W.` WADDELL MASONS LEVEL Filed Aug. 30, 1951 Patented July 1 4, 1953 UNITED .STATS -f Application August 30, 195,1, Serial N o. 244,353: 1 v

This invention relates to a new and improved level for use by masons in erecting walls from cement or cinder blocks, tiles, or bricks.vr

In using a level upon the upper side of 'any tier of a wall being erected, it frequentlyhappens that the level will rock or teeter due to imperfections in the blocks' or the like or inaccuracies in same time to show whether the blocks or the like y are properly alined.

In using thelevel as above stated, it must occupy a horizontalposition norhigher and no lower than the plane of the upper side of the -tier, and a further object of the invention is to provide the level with a projectable fingerto lie upon the tier and aid materially in properly positioning said level, said linger being movable to a retracted out-of-the-way position when its use is not required. V.

A still further object of the invention is to so mount the projectable and retractable linger that it may be projected longitudinally from one end of the level or laterally from the latter, as may be most convenient.

When usingthe improved level, as above explained, against the inner or outer side of a tier, it is preferable to have one of the usual straight edges of said level disposed against said inner or outer side of the tier. A still further object therefore is to mount the above mentioned linger at one flat side of the level, disposing this flat side upwardly when using the level with the linger projected.

With the level in the position just mentioned, the usual longitudinal bubble tube or tubes would in most cases be inaccurate, as said tube or tubes are mounted to be accurate only when one edge of the level is presented upwardly. Another object therefore is to provide the level with one or more additional bubble tubes, easily identied and mounted to be accurate when using the level with one side presented upwardly and one edge disposed against the inner or outer side of a tier.

Yet another object is to ,provide a simple and inexpensive construction in which the above mentioned finger is pivotallymounted and is spring-moved into a recess in the level body when it is swung to retracted position, said finger being easily movable from said recess and projectable for use.

tion is better.understoodfithe-same consists-in the novel form, combination and arrangementlof partshereinafter more fully described, shown? in the. accompanying drawing, and claimed.,.-;.

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing one manner ofusin'g the improved level, 1 .L 1

Figure 2 is an enlargediside elevation showing the linger -projected longitudinallyin fullr` lines and laterally in dotted lines,

Figure 3 is anenlarged detail longitudinal sectional view on line 3-,3 of Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure3 but partly in elevation,` showing `the v,finger in its retracted not-,in-use position. Y Preferences ,have been Lshown in the `drawing and .will be rather :specifically described, but variations may `of course be made 4withinthe scope of the invention'as claimed. i

The elongated body 5 may be ofa conventional y size and of either wood or metal. When .of wood,

`its edges and ends may be reinforced by metal, as -shown at 6 and 'I respectively. Near its ends lthe body 5 isformed with the usual openings `8l yin which transverse bubble tubes 9 are mounted for use when usingl the level to plumb a wall or' wardly. The bubble tubes I3 may be of some A conspicuous color to make them readily ldentifiable, or they may be identified by bright colored spots I5 at the edges ofthe openings IIJ. All of the openings in which the bubble tubes are mounted, are preferably glass covered,` or provided with covers of transparent plastic.

The body 5 is formed with a longitudinal shallow recess I6 at one end and opening through one of the flat sides I4. Theouter end of the recess I6 is preferablyenlarged at' I1 and the inner endof said recess is deepened as at I8. AnV

opening I9 extends from the enlarged end I1 to the opposite side of the body 5. A plate 20 is secured against the bottom of the-enlarged recess end I l, by means of screws 2|, said plate being disposed in a plane parallel with the. sides 3 I4 of the body 5. This plate is formed with a central opening 22 alined with the opening I9.

An elongated metal finger 23 is normally disposed longitudinally within the recess I6 as seen in Figure 4. This finger 23 is provided with an inwardly offset inner end portion 24, the extremity 25 of which is bent inwardly and contacts with the outer side of the plate 20, constituting aV rocker. The end portion 24 of the finger is located withinj-the enlarged-recess end I1 and the other end' 26"'of said finger is bent obliquely outward and extends over a portion of the deepened recess end I8. A pivot pin 21 is loosely connected at 2B with the offset end 24 of the v finger 23 and extends slidably through the opening 22 into the opening I9. This pinis provided:

with an abutment 29 within theopening I9 and a. coiled compression spring 30 is interposed between this abtument and the plate 20'. The spring 30 normally holds the finger 23 within the recess I6 in the tilted position shown in Figure 4.4 However, when the user inserts the tipof .one of his fingers into the deepened socket end I8, he may engage the end 2G of the finger 23 and thus outwardly tilt this finger until all but its offset end 24 is out of the recess I6. He may then swing the finger 23 to a. position in which it will rest horizontally upon the uppermost of the body sides I4 and project beyond the body 5 for use. project beyond the` end or either edge of the body 5 as will be clear from Figures 1 and 2. When the finger 23 is again swung inwardly after use, the spring 3|) snaps it to its normal out-ofthe-way position within the recess.

When the finger 23 occupies a projected position, it aids materially in properly positioning the level with oneof its edges I2 against the inner or outer' side of a tier of blocks or the like, and with one of itsiiat sides I4 presented upwardly and flush with the upper side of said tier. When this is done, the level is read by looking at one or the other of the bubble tubes I3. In Figure 1 a wall shape W is shown which would permit the finger 23 to function whether extended either laterallyor longitudinally but other wall shapes will necessitate that the finger be set in one position only in order to be effective.

From the foregoing detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction, use, and operation thereof will at once be apparent, and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthe invenltion, it is nevertheless to be understood that -minor changes maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

- I claim:

l 1. In a masons level, an elongated body pro- Thef finger-23 may be positioned to Y vided with at least one straight longitudinal edge and at least one flat side, said flat side being in a plane at a right angle to the plane of said edge, said body having a shallow recess near one end and opening through said flat side, said recess being elongated longitudinally of said body, said body also having a transverse opening extending from the outer end portion of said recess toward the opposite side of the body, a plate secured iny said outer end rportion of said recess and disposed in a plane parallel with and spaced inwardly from said fiat side, said plate having a relatively small opening communicating with said transverse opening of said body, a nger normally disposed within said recess and having an'inwrdlyoffset inner end portion adjacent the l outer side of said plate, the terminal of said offset end portion having a rocker projecting inwardly against said outer side of said plate, a pivot pin loosely connected with said offset end portion of said finger, said pivot pin extending slidably through said relatively small opening of said plate into said transverse opening of said body, and spring means in said transverse opening, said spring means being connected with said pivot pin and exerting a longitudinal stress upon said pin, to normally tilt said finger inwardly about said rocker to a confined position Within said recess, saidl finger being manually tiltable outwardly against the action of said spring' means and being then swingable about said pivot pin to a position in which said finger projects beyond said body.

2. A structure as specified in claim l; said spring means being a coiled compression spring surrounding said pivot pin' and at one end abutting said plate, said pivot pin having an abutmentagainst which the other end of said spring abuts.

3. A structure as specified in claim l; said recess having a deepened inner end, the free end of said finger normally projecting partially over said deepened recess end, said deepened end being of such size that the tip of a human finger may be inserted into it to engage said free end of said finger and tilt the latter outwardly.

JACOB W. WADDELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STA-TESV PATENTS Number Name Date 935,938 Lynch Sept. 28, 1909 1,489,239 Eagan Apr. 8, 1924 1,855,394 Hill Apr, 26, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 298,323 Great Britain Oct. 11, 1928 

